Lands boss, Kulata runs to court to block her interdiction

KAMPALA.

The Commissioner for Land Registration, Ms Sarah Kulata Basangwa, yesterday petitioned the High Court seeking for an interim order to halt an investigation by a committee instituted to look into accusations of alleged fraud and corruption allegations from the public against her.

Ms Kulata through her lawyer Mr Muzamiru Kibedi told court that she was seeking the interim order in terms of the interdiction letter of motion that was stopping her from going back to her office, saying it was acted on disputed recommendations contained in a report made by the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) commission of inquiry.

“Already promotions have been taken by way of the UNRA report, it is important to let the judiciary process take its course rather than the committee in the case that is before court,” Mr Muzamiru said.

Court also heard that the committee instituted to investigate Kulata cannot use the Unra report since she has challenged it before the High Court on grounds that the commission first called her as a witness and then turned around to make a report recommending that she should be investigated for fraud in the Lands Registry.

Ms Kulata wants court to block the committee, instituted by the Lands Minister, from investigating her until the High Court determines her case in which she questions the legality of recommendations contained in the Unra report.

“The acts of the Minister for Lands Housing and Urban Development Ms Betty Amongi to interdict my client (Kulata) are in a way to prejudice the court process and it should not be allowed. She is only using the media to tarnish her name,” Mr Kibedi said.

However state attorney Mr Odoi Oburu told court that the interdiction was only done to Ms Kulata to pave way for investigations. “The Unra report has not been used anywhere and the decision of promotions was not based on the report,” Mr Oburu said.

Last month the same court permitted Ms Kulata to challenge the validity of the Unra Commission of Inquiry report.

Justice Henrietta Wolayo granted Ms Kulata permission to file an application for judicial review of the findings and recommendations made against her by the Commission of Inquiry.

Released in May this year, the Unra probe named Ms Kulata among individuals culpable for causing huge financial loss to Unra due to either negligence or failure to follow procurement regulations.

The permission followed an application in which Ms Kulata stated that the Unra Commission of Inquiry compiled a report in which they recommended that she be sacked from her office as commissioner.

Her lawyers, Ms Kibedi and Company Advocates, said none of the allegations against her was raised for her to answer when she appeared before the Commission of Inquiry.